Hand-car



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. ROBERTS.

HAND GAR.

No. 429,962. Patented June 10, 1890,.

Wzl'nesses UNITED STATES PATENT OrFIoE.

CYRUS ROBERTS, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN.

HAN D-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,962, dated June 10,1890.

Application filed March 17, 1890. Serial No. 344,185. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CYRUS ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHand-Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railwayhand-cars; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction andarrangement of the propelling mechanism whereby the car is adapted to beused for carrying ballast, ties, railroad-irons, &c., and permits ofbeing loaded or unloaded conveniently, while in the present constructionof cars such use is very much interfered with and restricted to thepropelling mechanism, which occupies, generally, a portion of theplatform of the car and requires openings through the platform, so thatfor many purposes of carrying material so-called pushcars have to beused, which have no pro-' pelling mechanism.

My improved propelling mechanism leaves the platform entirely intact, asit is entirely below the platform and has side leverswhich can beremoved in loading or unloading the car, while at the same time thepropelling mechanism is simple and efficient and especially adapted notto interfere with the convenience of the men propelling it, if the caris loaded; all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in theaccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hand-car. Fig. 2 is a planview thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical central cross-section through the caron the axis of the drive-shaft.

A is the ordinary car-frame constructed with special regard for theproper support of the propelling mechanism.

B are the usualhandles of the frame for removing the car from the track.

0 are the car-wheels, andD is the platform of the car, all the partsbeing constructed in any known manner and forming no part of myinvention. Directly below the platform and near the center of the car isjournaled in suitable bearings the main drive-shaft E, which extends thewhole width of the platform and projects to the sides thereof. To theseprojecting ends the cranks F are secured, which have the hollow socketsF, in which the lower ends of the side levers G are removably secured inany suitable manner. These side levers have their upper ends rigidlyconnected by one or more handle-bars H H, arranged at suitable heightsfrom the platform for the convenience of the men propelling the car. Themanner of connecting these handle-bars and side levers is preferably, asshown in the drawings, where the handle-bars are intermediatelyconnected between the side levers by the stay-bolts I and secured to thelevers by the angle-braces J.

The drive shaft has secured upon it, preferably near one side of thecar, the crank K,

which by means of a connecting-rod L is connected to a crank M, securedupon a counter-shaft- N, which is journaled in suitable bearings on theunder side of the car-frame. The crank is also connected a fartherdistance from its center by means of a connecting-rod O with a crankP'on the shaft P, journaled in suitable bearings on the under side ofthe car-frame near the opposite end of the car. This shaft carries thegear-Wheel Q, which meshes with the pinion R upon one of the axles.

In practice, the parts being constructed and arranged as shown anddescribed, it will be seen that by pushing and pulling upon thehandle-bars the power is transmitted from the shaft E, crank K, andconnectingrod L to the crank M, which thereby moves in the segment of acircle back and forth. From there the motion is transmitted through theconnecting-rod O to the crank P, which is compelled to travelin acircle, and thereby impart rotary motion through the gear-wheel Q andpinion R to the car-axle, all the parts being proportioned in thewell-known manner to impart the desired degree of speed to the car.Should it be desired to load the car with ties or other bulky material,it will be seen that the side levers, which carry the handle-bars, canbe readily detached by unfastening the side levers from the sockets inwhich they are secured and remove them, and the load can be readilytransported and the propelling mechanism operated after the levers areput in place again without materi- (No Model.)

0. ROBERTS.

GAR WHEEL.

DID/429,963.

Patented June 10, 1890.

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